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Many studies indicate that only a small number of employees are truly engaged in their work. Engagement is heavily impacted by the interaction between employees and their immediate and senior managers. It happens on three levels: between the employee and their manager, between teams or functional groups, and within the organisation as a whole. Companies often miss opportunities to become more cooperative, engaged and productive workplaces because their management practices alienate employees. Lack of positive communication programmes can systemically undermine organisational performance, and lacking connections between senior managers and the workforce is a key obstacle to employee engagement.

Leaders need to embrace a new mindset and master new skills. Social technologies are gaining ground in organisations but leaders are still struggling in utilising them in their daily communication. Some leaders feel threatened, but new technologies also provide opportunities for more transparent and timely communication, making it possible for leaders to engage in discussions with their employees in ways that were not possible before.

This thesis examines the relation between employee engagement and leadership communication, analysing the impact of social technologies in leadership communication. The focus is on company-wide aspects. The situation in the case organisation, Uponor Group, is analysed using semi-structured thematic interviews and a qualitative survey. The research aimed at gaining deeper understanding of the current status of engagement in the case organisation, while also creating a framework for leadership communication in online environments to serve as the basis for future communications planning.

There was general interest among different organisational players in developing leadership communication. The Group’s top-level communication was considered very CEO-focused. The need to develop strategy-sharing practices was raised by the majority of respondents. Strategic themes should be ensured good visibility also in online environments. Having the new intranet and the possibilities it brings, including enhanced interactivity and opportunities for more open and timely communication and dialogue, does not automatically mean that information is shared more effectively but the leaders should lead by example and start sharing, too. With their blog, the leaders have already demonstrated their ability to step out of their comfort zone and try new ways to communicate. A good approach is to make the road to the future by walking, i.e. introducing one thing at a time. That way it would be easier for everyone to familiarise themselves and start using new ways to communicate. Technology is just the enabler, but a more fundamental change is related to the way leaders are expected to communicate – openly, in a timely manner, and without management jargon.